Systems and methods for predicting the time to change the temperature of an object

Abstract

Systems and methods for estimating the time for the internal temperature of an object to reach a desired temperature are disclosed. One system includes a control unit configured to determine a temperature ratio, the temperature ratio including a relationship between a change of internal temperature of the object from an initial temperature to a temperature measured at an elapsed time and the total internal temperature change needed to reach a reference temperature. The control unit may be further configured to estimate a time remaining for the internal temperature to reach the reference temperature based on a function of the temperature ratio and a time ratio, the time ratio being a relationship between the elapsed time and the total time change for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature.

1 . A method for estimating the time for the internal temperature of an object to reach a desired temperature, comprising: 
 determining a temperature ratio, the temperature ratio including a relationship between (1) a change of internal temperature of the object from an initial temperature to a temperature measured at an elapsed time and (2) the total internal temperature change needed to reach a reference temperature; and    estimating a time remaining for the internal temperature to reach the reference temperature based on a function of the temperature ratio and a time ratio, the time ratio being a relationship between the elapsed time and the total time change for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 estimating the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature by taking the difference between the elapsed time and an estimated total time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reference temperature is the desired internal temperature of the object.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further includes: 
 estimating the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature based on a rate of temperature rise of the object during an initial period.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 receiving a temperature measurement of the environment outside of the object; and    estimating the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature based on the temperature measurement of the environment outside of the object.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 storing a plurality of internal temperature measurements of the object over a duration of time; and    generating an error if a rate of temperature change of the plurality of internal temperature measurements over the duration of time is below a temperature rate change threshold.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired temperature is different from the reference temperature and the method further comprises: 
 determining a reference temperature ratio, the reference temperature ratio including a relationship between (1) the total change of the internal temperature of the object from the initial temperature needed to reach the desired temperature and (2) the total change of the internal temperature change needed to reach the reference temperature; and    estimating the time to heat the object to the desired temperature using a relationship between the temperature ratio and the reference temperature ratio.    
   
   
       8 . A system for estimating the time for the internal temperature of an object to reach a desired temperature, comprising: 
 a controller configured to: 
 determine a temperature ratio, the temperature ratio including a relationship between (1) a change of internal temperature of the object from an initial temperature to a temperature measured at an elapsed time and (2) the total internal temperature change needed to reach a reference temperature; and  
 estimate a time remaining for the internal temperature to reach the reference temperature based on a function of the temperature ratio and a time ratio, the time ratio being a relationship between the elapsed time and the total time change for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature.  
   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 estimate the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature by taking the difference between the elapsed time and an estimated total time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the reference temperature is the desired internal temperature of the object.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the desired temperature is different from the reference temperature and the controller is further configured to: 
 determine a reference temperature ratio, the reference temperature ratio including a relationship between (1) the total change of the internal temperature of the object from the initial temperature needed to reach the desired temperature and (2) the total change of the internal temperature change needed to reach the reference temperature; and    estimate the time to heat the object to the desired temperature using a relationship between the temperature ratio and the reference temperature ratio.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 estimate the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature based on a rate of temperature rise of the object during an initial period.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 receive a temperature measurement of the environment outside of the object; and    estimate the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature based on the temperature measurement of the environment outside of the object.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 store a plurality of internal temperature measurements of the object over a duration of time; and    generate an error if a rate of temperature change of the plurality of internal temperature measurements over the duration of time is below a temperature rate change threshold.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the system further includes a display for indicating an error upon the controller determining that the rate of change of the plurality of internal temperature measurements is below the temperature rate change threshold.  
   
   
       16 . A system for estimating the time for the internal temperature of an object to reach a desired temperature, comprising: 
 means for determining a temperature ratio, the temperature ratio including a relationship between (1) a change of internal temperature of the object from an initial temperature to a temperature measured at an elapsed time and (2) the total internal temperature change needed to reach a reference temperature; and    means for estimating a time remaining for the internal temperature to reach the reference temperature based on a function of the temperature ratio and a time ratio, the time ratio being a relationship between the elapsed time and the total time change for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 means for estimating the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature by taking the difference between the elapsed time and an estimated total time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the reference temperature is the desired internal temperature of the object.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the method further includes: 
 means for estimating the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature based on a rate of temperature rise of the object during an initial period.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving a temperature measurement of the environment outside of the object; and    means for estimating the time for the internal temperature of the object to reach the reference temperature based on the temperature measurement of the environment outside of the object.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 means for storing a plurality of internal temperature measurements of the object over a duration of time; and    means for generating an error if a rate of temperature change of the plurality of internal temperature measurements over the duration of time is below a temperature rate change threshold.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the desired temperature is different from the reference temperature and the method further comprises: 
 means for determining a reference temperature ratio, the reference temperature ratio including a relationship between (1) the total change of the internal temperature of the object from the initial temperature needed to reach the desired temperature and (2) the total change of the internal temperature change needed to reach the reference temperature; and    means for estimating the time to heat the object to the desired temperature using a relationship between the temperature ratio and the reference temperature ratio.    
   
   
       23 . A system for predictive cooking comprising: 
 a temperature probe having a portion configured to measure an internal temperature of a food item;    a timer configured to track an elapsed time;    a display for indicating a predicted time for a future internal temperature of a food item to reach a desired temperature; and    a controller configured to: 
 receive a signal representing a measurement of the internal temperature of the food from the temperature probe;  
 determine a temperature ratio, the temperature ratio including a relationship between (1) a change of internal temperature of the food item from an initial temperature to a temperature measured at an elapsed time and (2) the total internal temperature change needed to reach a reference temperature; and  
 estimate a time remaining for the internal temperature to reach the reference temperature based on a function of the temperature ratio and a time ratio, the time ratio being a relationship between the elapsed time and the total time change for the internal temperature of the food item to reach the reference temperature.